How to Prevent Excessive Dog Barking

One of the main reasons dogs are given up to shelters every year is due
to excessive barking. Barking is a normal canine behavior, as natural
as humans speaking. Barking is only a nuisance when it is excessive.
Excessive barking is not only an annoyance to the owner but to neighbors
as well. Most owners don’t want to stop all barking, just excessive
barking.

Before nuisance barking can be stopped one must first ascertain why the dog is barking. Some of the most common reasons that dogs bark are:

Fear or anxiety

Pain or discomfort

Boredom or attention seeking

Protection or territorial behavior

Needy – needs to go out, needs water, needs something

We have to remember that in households that have multiple dogs
there is usually a "ring leader." If the dog that starts the barking is
stopped, quiet is usually restored quickly. This type of barking is
generally referred to as "socially facilitated" barking.

Although generalizing behavior by breed is usually not fair to the breed
(i.e. all __________ are hyper or all ___________ are aggressive), some
breeds can be a little more vocal than other breeds.

Several methods can be used to curtail barking. In some cases more than one method might be used in conjunction with another.

Dogs suffering from fear/anxiety issues (thunderstorms,
separation anxiety, etc.) may need a combination of methods to correct
the barking. Calming products such as the Thundershirt, Comfort Zone with D.A.P. (Dog Appeasing Pheromone) and Quiet Moments Calming Aid
may help calm an anxious dog. Keep in mind that in serious cases,
prescription medications may be needed. Your veterinarian will be able
to evaluate your dog and prescribe the medication that will be most
appropriate. One thing is certain, if you have a dog that is already
anxious or fearful, the last thing it needs is yelling or punishment,
such as sprays or shock collars.

Illness or injury may also be reasons that a dog will bark or
vocalize. Your veterinarian will be able to pin-point what is causing
the discomfort and correct the problem to relieve your pet. You wouldn't
punish or yell at a child for feeling bad, so try to keep this in mind
with your pet.

When a dog is bored and/or seeking attention, even negative
attention (NO! BE QUIET!), is still attention. Dog barks – owner yells.
To the dog, the barking/yelling cycle becomes a game. If this is what
your dog is doing, a stuffed Kong or an interactive puzzle toy may put an end to the problem. Free Kong recipe booklets
are available to give you ideas to keep your dog focused on the Kong!
(See more solution ideas below.) Be careful not to "reward" bad
behavior. A treat or toy used to prevent the behavior is fine but if
your dog gets something good every time he barks, he will learn to bark
to get something good.

Territorial or alarm barking can be your dog's only way of
warning you that someone or something that he perceives as a threat is
lurking outside of your door or fence. Most owners don't object to this
type of barking, as long as it doesn't become excessive. Decide whether
you want your dog to be an alarm or not and be consistent.

A "needy" dog is a dog that is trying to communicate to you that
he/she actually needs something. They may need to go outside or, if
they are outside, they may need to come inside. They may just need fresh
water or food. Consider automatic waterers and feeders as a possible solution if you find this happening often. For going outside, perhaps the Gotta Go™ Door Bell Trainer™ or a pet door could alleviate some of this type of barking.

There is no one, "cure all" solution because there are so many factors
to be considered. Not all dogs will respond to all methods equally. You
may have to try more than one to find what works best for you and your
dog. Some other possible solutions to problem barking (not including illness, injury, or anxiety) may include the Pet Corrector which emits a blast of compressed air. The Shake Trainer, a handheld, easy-to-use device that emits a harmless but unique sound frequency when shaken. Ultrasonic remote training devices can be effective with some dogs, as can the Ultralight Sonic Bark Collar for small dogs. PetSafe's Outdoor Bark Control can detect barking from up to 50 feet away and is completely waterproof. The Gentle Leader SpraySense Citronella Collar
delivers a burst of citronella spray that interrupts your dog's
barking. This method works with 4 of your dog's senses – he sees it,
hears it, smells it and feels it. A number of collars use the static
correction method (mild shock) which can be very effective for many
dogs. Some owners prefer to muzzle their dogs, however, that can lead to the dog being frustrated and may cause other behavioral issues.

Regardless of which method you choose to correct your dog's barking
issue, you can be sure that he would rather learn to curb his barking
than be surrendered to a shelter.

Renee Jones-Lewis is a certified professional dog trainer, having
received instruction from canine behaviorist Dr. Pamela Reid, plus
nationally acclaimed trainers: Patricia McConnell, Pia Silvani, and Jean
Donaldson, to name a few. She serves as a Pet Marketing and Canine
Specialist for JeffersPet and JeffersPet.com.
Questions about this article, training or non-emergent health concerns
are welcome. Renee can be reached most days from 9am – 5pm Central Time
(Mon-Fri) at 1-800-JEFFERS (533-3377) ext 381 or by email
rsjones@jefferspet. com.

Information given here is meant to be helpful and/or educational. It is,
in no way, intended to supersede, challenge or supplant the diagnosis,
treatment or advice of a licensed veterinarian.